Nikon D3200 Best Lenses For Landscape And Macro Photography

I'm thinking of buying a Nikon D3200 that comes with two lenses:
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5/6G ED lens
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II lens

I'm wondering the same things you're asking.

I use the Nikkor 12-24mm 1:4 AF lens for landscapes, and couldn't be happier. (I use an 'archaic' D80, though it's my understanding the Nikkor lenses can transfer between most Nikon camera bodies?)

I shoot some macro, but I don't have an excellent lens, so though what I use is utilitarian / suits my needs, it's not top notch so I'm not going to recommend it.

Buy Canon ;)

Certain Nikon camera bodies are limited in lens selection and you must use an AF-S lens for the cheaper Nikons or the autofocus will not work. The reason is that the cheaper Nikon bodies do not have a focus motor so you need the AF-S lens which has it own focus motor. I have a Nikon D5100 and am in that situation. I started out with the 18-55 and 55-200 zoom lenses. They work fine some of the time but have limits to their sharpness - especially in the corners with certain zoom settings and aperture combinations.

I am finding I have a preference for "prime" (fixed focus) lenses rather than zoom lenses. Some of my images taken with the zooms just aren't that sharp when viewed at 100% especially away from the image center. I now use a Nikon 50mm f1.4 and an 85mm macro. Both are very sharp. I have a 35mm f1.8 AF-S lens on order which I will be using as my normal lens. It costs about $196 on Amazon. I'll keep the zooms for now but only use in situations where I must have a specific focal length not covered by my fixed lenses.

Dave Gordon
http://dgportfolio.net

I have the D3100 and often use the Nikkor 55-300mm lens both for some landscapes and macro!

I would suggest two lenses -

Landscape - Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM - great Wide Angle shots with this lens and will work fine on your camera body. If you look through my pictures and find a nice wide angle shot, more than likely it was with this lens.

Macro - Nikon Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 Micro - This lens is tack sharp with Macro photography. I have rented/borrowed this lens on a few occasions for specialty photography projects.

Now that I have mentioned rental, I would highly recommend renting or borrowing a lens before buying it. If you can borrow it fine, but if renting is the only option that you have, I would give some serious thought to it.

I rented 4 wide angle lenses before I found the one that I like the most (the Sigma 8-16mm).

I rent from Photorentalsource.com and their service has been top notch. Renting is a whole lot better than buying an $800 lens and finding out that you are not impressed with it.

I used the 18-55mm kit lens on this one with my Nikon D3100.... click it for the details and backstory!

Well it looks like I will be OK if I get the Nikon D3200. @Sooner Photo I always wanted a Canon, mainly because I love love love my Canon printers. But I had finally picked out a Canon t3i in my very limited price range, and then saw the D3200 -- all the reviews and specs show it far and above the Canons in the same price range. Anyone have any other thoughts?
I am using a Fuji "bridge" camera right now. I don't think it's possible -- am I wrong? -- to get the kind of shots I want with that kind of camera, even tho it has the zoom and lots of manual settings for a non-DSLR.

Actually not far above, but a little ahead in areas like frame rate, high-megapixel sensor size, and such. However, I think Canon does a much better job of reproducing color and the L glass seems to be far superior to anything of the Nikon glass in my opinion. I would recommend staying away from a T3i even though images I shoot with my T3 still get many compliments. Another down side to the T3i is it doesn't have wireless flash control: WARNING...do not by any camera without wireless flash control. Things like a rotating screen and wireless do not affect the images, but flash and the ability to control them does. If you are not worried about the low-pass filter, lower mega-pixel sensor, and lack of micro-focus, the Canon 60d is a great value for the money, and combine it with some good Canon L glass lens and you have a winner.

Don't forget about micro 4/3. Much smaller and some great prime lenses. All my photos from the last couple of years are with a Panasonic GH2.

Thank you dear friends for your suggestions and inputs.

Thanks for the rundown @SoonerPhoto. The 60D is definitely out of my price range... I'm just trying to get my foot in the door with a DSLR and hoping even the cheapest ones are a lot better than the "bridge" camera I have now. The D3200 with two lenses is around $500-600 depending on where I buy it.

If you are interested in buying a camera I suggest you hold off until after Photokina in September. Manufacturers use this bi-annual fair to introduce new models. You might not need or be in the market for the latest of the latest, but the introduction of newer models often results in lower prices for older models.

The Canon vs Nikon thing is moot - both manufacture outstanding lenses and bodies as well as meh products. It's like saying Adidas is better than Nike. When I bought my first DSLR I put similarly specked cameras from Nikon, Canon and Pentax next to each other and simply went with what felt most comfortable in my hands.

Kit lenses usually aren't the best a manufacturer has to offer. Read up carefully on whatever kit lens you are interested in and then ask yourself whether you would not be better off spending more for a better lens. The kit lens that came with my camera was OK but when I bought a more expensive (and better) lens later it saw no use at all anymore and I kind of regretted buying it in the first place.

@Sonali: if photography is your thing you might also want to consider buying a full frame lens; there will be a crop factor (for example, a 35mm lens will be like 52.5 on a DX) but if at some point you decide to go full frame then you won't have to buy your lens(es) again.

Especially for landscape and macro, you donīt need auto focus necessarily, and after an upgrade to a more expensive body, you can still use them.

I have an older generation of tamron 90 2.8 . Pretty good lens for that price.

My D3200 is great for what I do - landscapes, old barns, sunrise/sunset and some flora and fauna. I "upgraded" because I wore out my nine-year-old D50. My BEST lens from back then is a Sigma 10-20 wide angle zoom. It is still my best lens.

I also have the "kit" lenses for the 3200. The shorter zoom is fine but the 55-200 is crap at longer focal lengths; having noticible color banding at contrasty edges. But I have heard good things about the 55-300. With that said, I am also a believer in prime lenses. I use a 50 1.8 for "normal" shots and will soon purchase a 105 2.8 Macro (Christmas gift to self?).

~ Bill
~ USPictures.com

what about the 14-24 2.8?